Archive for Liquor

I have tried sake several times.  With full apologies to Dr. Seuss and Green Eggs and Ham:

I have tried it cold,
I have tried it hot,
I have sipped it in pretty glasses,
I bravely tried it as a shot.
I would not drink it again,
I would not take any more sips,
I firmly refused to try it
I announced with hands on my hips.

I held this position on sake for quite some time.  Although I had tried a variety of sakes, none were enjoyable or tasty.  However, last weekend at the Boston Wine Expo, I finally found sake that was enjoyable.  (more…)

Over on Idea Offer, a request was put out for the best ideas for cocktails that have ice cream as an ingredient.  And the winning idea came from Navakanth Kanapala for his Strawberry Margarita Fizz.  Here it is as described by Navakanth:

Strawberry Margarita Fizz

Sugar for coating rims of glasses
1-1/2 cups softened strawberry ice cream
1/2 cup chopped strawberries, plus whole strawberries for garnish
1 ounce tequila, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/3 cup chilled club soda
Garnish: lime slices

Rim edges of two highball glasses with sugar, and set aside.  Place ice cream, chopped strawberries, tequila, and lime juice in a blender.  Mix until all ingredients are combined and smooth.  Divide strawberry mixture between the two glasses, and top each with half of the club soda.  Stir gently to combine.  Garnish with limes and strawberries, if desired.

Makes me want to get some ice cream and umbrellas and head to the beach!

It may not always be sunny in Philadelphia, but Saturday the 19^th there was plenty of sun in Nashua.  With his own line of limoncello to promote, Danny DeVito spent some time at the New Hampshire State Liquor Store in Nashua to sign autographs and take pictures for fans.

I may be the resident ‘beer guy’, but seeing how I am Italian, limoncello is within my jurisdiction.  Limoncello is a lemon-flavored liqueur hailing from Sorrento, Italy.  All limoncello, including Danny’s, is made in Sorrento, so you know it isn’t a knock off made in a bathtub.  Served ice cold, this thick looking shot goes down like candy.  It is the perfect after dinner drink and can calm your stomach if you feel kind of queasy. (more…)

I always have been a fan of cognac andbrandy.  Actually, I guess I would have to say that I have been a cognac and brandy fan since I have been an adult, but that is being nit picky since I cannot remember anything before that.

This New Year’s Eve we had some friends over, and I decided to make up a new drink with brandy that was light and fun.  So, I cooked up a Brandy Fizz.

TK’s New Year Brandy Fizz

• 3 parts brandy (I used a wonderful XO brandy)
• 1 part sour mix
• 1 part lemon-lime soda
• ice

Put ice, brandy, and sour mix in a shaker.  Shake with vigor for at least 30 shakes.  Pour the mixture over ice in a rocks glass.  Top with lemon-lime soda.  Can be garnished with cherries or an orange wheel.

I have a good friend who’s an asthmatic. Asthmatics never know when they’re going to go into an attack, and while most of them carry inhalers and even pills, sometimes those aren’t enough to stop an attack dead. What does this have to do with hard alcohol? What a lot of people don’t know is that 40-50 years ago, asthma medicines had a high alcohol content.

My friend, and a variety of her asthmatic friends, have discovered a “natural cure” to knock attacks out. Strong alcohol. One shot of tequila, scotch, or whiskey can burn through the “crud” that is causing their shortness of breath. Two shots, and usually they’re cured. It takes about an hour or two to feel the full effects.

The positive, for those asthma sufferers over age 21, is that a shot of tequila, for example, doesn’t make you shake like a palsey sufferer. Most asthma medications today have a great deal of adrenalin in them. The adrenalin works, yes, but it causes shaking, a feeling of both hyperactivity and lethargy at the same time, and an inability to sleep. A shot of tequila usually just relaxes the drinker.

Now, I’m not a doctor, and before you try this, you should verify that your own doctor thinks it’s at least an okay idea to try. And, as a reminder, this doesn’t work with every kind of alcohol. White and sparkling wines cause things to get smaller and close up — meaning it’s harder to breathe if you’re drinking a white or sparkling wine and going into an asthma attack. Liqueurs, particularly cream-based ones, will help create phlegm, which creates huge problems for asthmatics.

If you can’t handle hard alcohol, red wine (not rose) also works to help clear the breathing passages. It’s slower than a shot of hard alcohol, though.